In this episode, I'm joined by Lindsay Daniels from The Movement Project. We discuss her journey in the dance world, the injury that led her to a career in teaching, and how she ended up in a public high school setting. Lindsay is a strong advocate for the benefits of dance education as skills for life, and provides opportunities for dancers in both her high school program and community based dance program in the Durham, Ontario region.

Lindsay Daniels is an educator, adjudicator, curriculum writer, and speaker with over 25 years of experience in the dance education industry. She is currently on faculty with the Durham District School Board as a Dance Education Specialist in Oshawa, Ontario and is the founder of The Movement Project, an organization committed to best practices in Dance training, and pedagogy. Lindsay has a Bachelor of Kinesiology from McMaster University, is certified with the Ontario College of Teachers, she is a faculty member of the ADAPT Teacher Training School and a guest speaker at the Toronto Dance Teacher Conference. Lindsay is always eager to connect with other dance professionals, to create a safer and more inclusive dance community.

You can connect with Lindsay Daniels at:
The Movement Project Website
The Movement Project IG Account
Maxwell Heights SS Dance IG Account


Learn more about Erika Mayall:

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Hyperextension at the knee is an aesthetic that is often valued and sought after in the dance world. Those that don't have it want it, but those who have it know it be can a challenge to manage and isn't always a blessing.

There is ongoing debate about how to manage knee hyperextension in dancers - do we let dancers use this range in order to achieve the desired lines that it provides, or do we limit their range for the sake of joint health and longevity?

In this episode of the podcast, I break down what exactly knee hyperextension is, when we might allow a dancer to utilize this hyperextension and ways we can help dancers learn to control this mobility and keep their knees happy and healthy.

Episode 12: Flexibility for Dancers Part 2 - The Truth About Overstretching

TEACHERS! Check out the new FREE 3 Cues for Teachers to Ditch in Dance guide.

Learn more about Erika Mayall:

• Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerika
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Dance is one of the most physically demanding activities and dancers are continually pushing their body's to the limit. Some aches/pains/niggles are to be expected when pushing our physical boundaries, but how do you determine when something is just a niggle and when it's actually an injury? In today's episode I discuss things to consider to help you determine when you can just carry on as usual, and when it might be time to admit that an injury is an injury, and likely needs medical attention.

TEACHERS! Check out the new FREE 3 Cues for Teachers to Ditch in Dance guide.

Learn more about Erika Mayall:

• Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerika
• Learn more about me on my website: https://www.allegroperformance.com
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Ever wondered what the difference between a sprain and a strain is? And which one is a more severe injury? In this episode I discuss the difference between sprains, strains and all the -itis injuries in dance. Knowing how dance injuries are classified can help dancers understand the nature of their injury, as well as facilitate communication with teachers and healthcare teams.

TEACHERS! Check out the new FREE 3 Cues for Teachers to Ditch in Dance guide.

Episode 20: Ankle Sprains in Dancers

Learn more about Erika Mayall:

• Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerika
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In this episode, I'm joined by one of my long time teachers and mentors, Astrid Sherman. We discuss the pros and cons to implementing a syllabus system for dance training, as well as some of the commonalities and differences with different syllabus around the world.

Astrid Sherman is currently the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) International Representative for the Americas’ and guest teaching between Los Angeles, Vancouver, and Spain. After dancing professionally with the Natal Performing Arts Council in South Africa, she immigrated to Canada. There she was artistic director of a large ISTD-based professional training school in Vancouver for 16 years, with many graduates being accepted into companies and prestigious post-graduate programs internationally. She has a Fellowship teaching qualification from the ISTD in Imperial Classical Ballet. Her BSc focused in Kinesiology and Gerontology from SFU in Canada and her MA in Dance Pedagogy was from Middlesex University in the UK.  She is on the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science (IADMS) Dance Educators’ Committee where she is very much involved in organizing Regional and Outreach Virtual Dance Science events. Astrid has presented dance research at many IADMS & Healthy Dancer Canada conferences and has published in the Journal Dance Medicine & Science. She also acts as the Dancer Wellness Advisor for Ballet Beyond Borders.

You can also connect with Astrid Sherman at:
Website: https://astridshermancatchingart.com/
Email: [email protected]


Learn more about Erika Mayall:

• Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerika
• Learn more about me on my website: https://www.allegroperformance.com
• Sign up for my newsletter: Click here
• Send me an email: [email protected]

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When we think of rest, we typically just think of physical rest. But that's just one of 7 different types of rest - as described by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith. In this episode, I outline the 7 different types of rest we should consider, and how we can incorporate them not just into post season, but throughout the dance season as well.

Episode 6: Periodization in Dance

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Learn more about Erika Mayall:

• Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerika
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I continue to hear stories of dancers being penalized for being injured by being pulled from dances or not being allowed to perform. In this episode, I dive into why I think dance is one of the greatest activities to modify in terms of rehabilitation, and how we as a dance culture can accommodate these modifications to ensure our dancers stay safe while continuing to be able to participate in the activity they love.

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Learn more about Erika Mayall:

• Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerika
• Learn more about me on my website: https://www.allegroperformance.com
• Sign up for my newsletter: Click here
• Send me an email: [email protected]

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With the end of the dance year fast approaching, it's time to consider what the off season is going to look like for you or your dancers. In this episode, I cover what an ideal post season and off season should and could look like. I dive into what the goals of the off season really are and how you can use the off season to set yourself up for success for the coming dance year.

Episode 6: Periodization in Dance

Learn more about Erika Mayall:

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In most parts of the world, the dance industry is unregulated. In this episode, I dive into what that actually means, the difference between regulation and certification/qualification, and why I think regulation is the next necessary step to protect dancers.

Learn more about Erika Mayall:

• Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerika
• Learn more about me on my website: https://www.allegroperformance.com
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Patellar (kneecap) dislocations and subluxations are a common knee injury in dancers. In this episode, I discuss how and why these injuries happen, as well as some prevention strategies. You'll also learn what treatment and management of these injuries looks like for a dancer.

Learn more about Erika Mayall:

• Follow me on Instagram: @dancephysioerika
• Learn more about me on my website: https://www.allegroperformance.com
• Sign up for my newsletter: Click here
• Send me an email: [email protected]

Support the show